5 Best Hotels in The Marau Peninsula, Salvador and the Bahia Coast

Beautifully designed, spacious wood bungalows complete with private kitchens, set in a tropical garden off Praia de Bombaça, provide an ideal option for couples or friends looking to relax in tranquil surroundings a 15-minute walk along the beach from the Barra Grande. No request is too small for charismatic bilingual owners Ronaldo and Aline, who are responsible for the artistic touches, attention to detail, and delicious breakfasts served in the privacy of your own bungalow. Morning coconuts cut down from the garden are delivered directly to your door, and surfer Ronaldo will provide insight on the best surf breaks. One of the bungalows has two bedrooms.

While superbly located on the tip of hip Mutá Point, a five-minute stroll down the beach from Barra Grande’s bustling pier, Nirvana Beach Hotel's expansive 6-hectare (15-acre) grounds give guests the sense of being marooned in the tropical rain forest. Each of the five rooms has a private balcony and hammocks jutting out into the jungle, soft candy colors, high ceilings, and comfy beds. The gregarious hosts, Brazilian–English mother-daughter team Bonnie and Jessie, are on hand to organize speedboat trips and share the best places to catch the legendary sunsets, It’s a bit like staying in someone’s house, with guests breakfasting together on at a large communal table set in the piacava pavilion, where you can also enjoy a home-cooked lunch and relax over daily complimentary tea; you may even catch a jam session on the yoga deck when Jesse, a singer, is in the house.

Couples and families flock to the deliciously laid-back Dreamlands, where 10 simple, stylish Scandinavian-esque bungalows sit overlooking a great surf break on Taipu de Fora Beach, and the hotel's beach bar is one of the best. Rooms are cleverly positioned in a cascade so that no one misses out on the view of the turquoise surf. Rooms are clean, modern, and come with a plasma TV and minibar; adjoining bungalows are well suited to families. Norwegian owner Jan shakes up sophisticated cocktails at the beach bar, while his Brazilian wife Lyana organizes quad-biking trips and massages for guests. Make sure to ask Jan for his secret map to visit the giant Avatar-style bromelias in the forest.

Set on a secluded stretch of sand a 20-minute drive outside Barra Grande, this hotel caters as much to families with small kids as to a younger crowd who take advantage of the day passes and regular roster of DJs and events. Highlights include the sushi-serving beach restaurant and swimming pool overlooking the sea and surrounded by large loungers. Rooms are simple, spacious, and set in a row so each offers sea views and a private balcony; bungalows set back from the beach come with their own private garden. It's worth spending the day here even if you are not a guest of the hotel; there is a minimum consumption charge of R$50 per person.